


inevitable

by carminesunset



Series: AFTG Bingo 2018 [3]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: First Meetings, Germany, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-09-02 11:23:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16785994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carminesunset/pseuds/carminesunset
Summary: Nicky never studies abroad in Germany.He and Erik still meet.(AFTG Nicky/Erik Bingo Prompt: "Is this seat taken?")





	inevitable

Coming to Germany was refreshing. Nicky loved everything about the country so far -- the food, the people, the sights. The language was still a work in progress, but he could tell that he was becoming more comfortable speaking German by the day. It was all at once scary and freeing being away from home. A small part of him regrets not taking the semester abroad in high school, but he was here now. That’s what mattered.

Most days, he worked at a small bookstore that paid just enough for his bills and food. When he was really crunched for money, he took a few shifts at the nightclub as a bartender. He was lucky enough to have scored a cheap apartment (though _slightly_ roach-infested) with a cute little cafe just down the street. Nicky went there often for the free Wi-Fi or to study his German; it’s been three months since he moved to Germany, and the baristas there already knew his name and usual order.

It was there that he went after his morning shift and greeted the baristas behind the bar.

“Hello!” He chirped in German. “My usual, please?” He waved briefly at Philipp, who was standing at the other side of the bar.

“Of course. Anything else?” asked Luise, as she punched in his order. She took his card as he pondered the menu for a moment.

“No, not this time. Thank you.”

“Go ahead and sit down then, Nicky. Philipp will bring out your order soon.”

Nicky stuffed the card back into his wallet and shuffled over to his usual corner to set up his laptop and papers. Once he settled in, he quickly absorbed himself in his work.

Halfway into his mug of coffee, he felt someone standing above him. Nicky glanced up, expecting to see one of the baristas, but instead he saw unfamiliar blue eyes. The man by his table asked something in German and -- wow. He was _gorgeous_ . Dark brown hair, grey-blue eyes, _tall._ He asked something again, and Nicky realized that he had been staring for a bit too long and completely missed the question.

“Sorry,” Nicky said, tucking a piece of hair behind his ear. “My - my German isn’t that great, yet.” His conversational German was probably his best strength, but he wasn’t about to trust himself to be able to speak coherent sentences in the face of a devastatingly attractive man.

“No worries,” said Tall, Dark, and Handsome with a charming grin. “I think my English should be good enough.” He gestured to the seat in front of Nicky. “Is this seat taken?”

“Oh, no, go ahead.” Nicky waved vaguely toward the chair and watched as the other man sat down.

“I hope you don’t mind,” the man said. “I’ve come here a couple times, and I noticed you sitting here. I’m Erik, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, Erik. I’m Nicholas. But you can call me Nicky. And no, I don’t mind. I’ve only moved here a few months ago.”

“Moved here? So you’re not a tourist?”

“Ah, no. After I got my associates in the States, I decided to move out here for… a change of pace, I guess. And you? I’m guessing you’re a native.”

“Yes. Born and raised, though not from Berlin. I’m from Leipzig, actually; it’s southwest from here. What made you come to Germany?”

“Well, I was actually going to visit Germany for a semester abroad a few years ago. But I ended up not going.”

“My family actually hosted an exchange student from the United States. Imagine if you had been the student, instead!” Erik grinned roguishly at Nicky, and he felt himself almost swoon.

 _No. Pay attention, Nicky! Just because he’s smiling doesn’t mean he’s flirting!_ He mentally shook his head and smiled back at Erik.

“Listen, I uh -- I should get back to work.” His smile turned apologetic and he gestured at the papers Erik was leaning against.

“Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to take up so much of your time. I swear, I just wanted to introduce myself.” Erik pauses, then, before leaning in a bit. “Forgive me if I’m a bit forward, but would it be alright if I gave you my number?” He held up his hands before Nicky could say anything. “You don’t have to feel obligated to call me or anything, but I’d really like to get to know you.”

Nicky was sure that the face he was making resembled a gaping fish. A horrid, red-faced, blushing one, at that. “Oh!” He said a bit foolishly. “ _Oh._ I - I wouldn’t mind getting to know you, too.”

And there it is again, that bright (and oh dear God, _sexy_ ) grin. Erik rummaged around in his pocket for a moment and produced a pen from the depths of his slacks. Before Nicky could scramble for a scrap piece of paper, Erik grasped his hand with a gentle grip, turning it so his palm was up. His hands were warm and lightly calloused, and his handwriting was precise as he deftly wrote his number on Nicky’s palm.

He signed off with a little ‘- Erik’ and winked at Nicky before tucking his pen away and standing up. Erik. Erik with a 'k'. Fuck, even his name was hot.

“Please,” said Erik. “Call me whenever.”

Nicky could only manage a small “uh-huh” as Erik waved at him again and left the cafe.

 _Did that really just happen?_ He thought. Nicky spotted Luise smirking at him as she wiped down the counter, and he flushed again as he realized that both the baristas had likely seen the exchange. Philippe casually strolled over to his table and set down a pastry.

“So,” Philippe said in German. “Who was that?”

“Just a guy. He wanted to become friends. Get to know me.”

“ _Just_ a guy? So… no one special?” Philippe nudged the plate a little closer to Nicky as if to beckon him to spill more details. “You didn’t think anything of him at all? He seemed pretty into you. Pretty handsome, too.”

“I mean, yeah, he was, but --” Nicky stopped himself and peered closely at Philippe, who looked vaguely… smug. “Wait. What did you do?”

Philippe’s expression was one of mocking innocence. “Me? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“ _Philippe_...”

“He’s been trying to get you two together for the past two weeks,” said Luise. She had finished wiping down the counters and was now lounging next to the display cases. “Philipp saw him glancing over at you sometimes, and he got it into his head that you and Erik would be a perfect match.” Philipp shot her a dirty look.

“Thanks for ruining the plan,” Philipp sniped. “It was going so smoothly, too! Listen.” Philipp turned back to Nicky and leaned forward conspiratorially. "We were talking a while back and he mentioned he had an ex-boyfriend. He likes boys, you like boys -" here, he made an interlocking motion with his hands. "- and I'm pretty sure he wants, as you Americans say, a piece of _dat ass._ "

Luise rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say, Philipp.” The door of the cafe opened then, and she turned away from them to greet the customer.

“Seriously,” said Philippe. “He’s a catch. He's been a regular for twice as long as you have, and he's a really nice guy. I think you two would be great together. Luise and I are the only ones you hang out with outside of work; you should have some fun every once in awhile!”

“I don’t know...”

“You can’t deny that he made a really good impression, though.”

And Philipp was right. Normally the overly-familiar way that Erik talked to him would have put him off or made him uncomfortable, but he found himself helplessly charmed instead. Nicky bit his lip in thought, glancing down again at the number on his hand. He came to Germany to be true to himself - his sexuality - in a place without the weight of his parents’ influence. Nicky came to a decision, then.

“Alright.” Nicky watched with reluctant amusement as Philipp did a short victory dance by the table. “But if he turns out to be a jerk, I reserve the right to ignore you forever.”

“I understand. I’m not worried. I think you two will be great together! Wait, no. I _know_. Cross my heart." He made an 'x' over his heart with a finger.

“Yeah, yeah. You should get back to the counters before the customers get annoyed.”

Philipp once again pushed the plate in front of Nicky before swanning off toward the counter. Nicky looked down at his palm again where the stark black of the numbers stood out in great detail. He could almost feel Erik’s hands cradling his own.

Fuck. He was blushing again.

Nicky could see from the corner of his eye Philipp grinning at him. He really was going to do this, wasn't he? Before he could back out of it, Nicky pulled out his phone and typed in the number.

 _Hi!_ Nicky wrote in German. _It’s Nicky from the cafe._ That was easy. Or was it too short? Should he add something else? _I hope you don't mind if I text you in German. I'm still learning. :)_

He set the phone down and resolutely turned back to his work. It was five minutes of pretending he was ignoring his phone before it buzzed with a notification.

_Hello, Nicky. :) Again, I hope I wasn’t too forward. I noticed you a few weeks ago and thought you were really cute._

Before Nicky could think of a response, the phone buzzed again.

_If you’d allow me, would you like to go out on a date with me?_

It buzzed again.

_But only if you want to._

And again.

_No pressure!_

And again. Wow.

_I’d be perfectly happy just hanging out with you. Fully platonic._

On one hand, he barely knew this guy. But on the other hand, he did know Philipp, and despite not knowing him for too long, he was definitely someone Nicky would consider a friend. He took a minute to compose the next message.

_Sorry, this is a little overwhelming. I haven’t really dated before. I would like to get to know you more, in a little more platonic setting if that’s okay?_

The reply came less than a minute later, in the form of a _Yes!!_ And then a more subdued, _yes :)._

When Nicky put his phone down, he immediately noticed Luise and Philipp looking at him expectantly.

“Yes, I texted him,” Nicky said. They both looked at him pointedly. “Yes, we’re going to meet again.” At that, Philipp started to do another victory dance by the espresso machine. “But this doesn’t mean we’re going to date! Seriously, Philipp.” Philipp continued to shimmy next to the espresso machine until the next customer came in. Luise rolled her eyes, but she didn’t bother to mask her grin. “I can’t believe these two,” Nicky muttered just loudly enough to be heard over the din of the cafe, but he couldn’t help but feel warm at the enthusiasm his friends showed.

Uprooting his entire life to move to Germany was all at once terrifying and amazing. Even if this… whatever it is, with Erik turned out to be a dud, at least he knew he had a couple great friends to count on. Nicky grinned a little at this and took a hearty bite out of the pastry Philipp gave him.

His friends were the _greatest_.

**Author's Note:**

> I imagine this Nicky a little bit unsure of himself at this point - before Erik, basically. I hc that it's Erik who really pulls him out of his shell and he's able to be his canon bubbly self lmao
> 
> hmu @ tumblr: mokuuton
> 
> p.s. does anyone know if there are any german idiom equivalents to "cross my heart (hope to die)"? i tried looking it up but i couldn't find anything


End file.
